Feature The U.S. National Academy of Sciences Marks 150 Years Patricia Daukantas Founded by a young nation in the midst of a civil war, a private institution with a public purpose celebrates its sesquicentennial. Log in or become a member to view the full text of this article. This article may be available for purchase via the search at Optica Publishing Group. Optica Members get the full text of Optics & Photonics News, plus a variety of other member benefits. Publish Date: 01 November 2013 Add a Comment Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.